New European Union legislation has brought changes for internet users in Europe, including how search results appear on the internet. Google.
Internet users around the world were accustomed to searching for addresses or locations on Google and immediately seeing Google Maps appear in the results, allowing them, with one click, to be directed to the Maps page.
However, for people living in EU and EEA countries, this function stopped appearing at the beginning of March as a result of new EU regulations aimed at decreasing the 'gatekeeping' power of tech giants.
Now, when you search for a specific address on your laptop, you will continue to see a small map in the center of the screen, but you will not be able to click on the map and be taken directly to Google Maps. The 'Maps' button that previously appeared below the search bar, with 'Images' or 'News', also no longer appears.
Instead, you will need to go to the website www.google.com/maps or click on 'Routes' to use the maps function.
The change is more noticeable on notebooks or tablets. When searching for an address on a smartphone, users can still be redirected to the Google Maps app by clicking on the map image.
Why the change?
The Digital Markets Act (DMA) was voted on in 2022, and the regulations contained therein became applicable on Wednesday.
The objective of the legislation was to manage competition and end the domination of large technology companies, such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft and ByteDance (TikTok) in the European market.
These tech giants have been accused of promoting their own services over similar options from competitors, as well as acting as gatekeepers to prevent other companies from entering or growing in the market.
The aim is also to offer consumers more options.
For example, when searching for nearby bars or restaurants, the results could direct the user directly to Google Maps instead of other sites like Yelp.
A Google representative explained to French media outlet Franceinfo: “As part of our efforts to comply with the Digital Markets Regulation, we have made several changes to the way search results are displayed, including the removal of certain features. Users in the EU will no longer see the 'Maps' shortcut at the top of the search page,” he said.
The European Commission's goal was to allow “10.000 other online platforms — mostly small and medium-sized companies — to operate in the digital market,” French media outlet Le Point reported.
Are there any other changes related to this?
Yes, people in the EU/EEA may have noticed that they have received a question from the 'Messenger' service asking whether they want to create a new account or continue using the app with their existing Facebook account.
This is because Messenger and Facebook are technically different services now. The same goes for Instagram and Facebook.
While both are part of 'Meta', the company will have to offer people the choice to keep their accounts separate, striving to allow users to choose whether they want their personal data to be tracked across different sites.
Likewise, people in the EU who use Apple products will no longer need to go through Apple's App Store to install apps — other options will be available.
For example, Microsoft is reportedly working on a rival app store for 'games'.
Eventually, DMA will also force messaging services to allow users to communicate with each other — allowing you to send a message from one platform to another.
Is this just in the EU?
As the Digital Markets Act is EU legislation, it only applies to the European Union and EEA countries. However, other countries, including South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom, are studying ways to rein in tech giants with similar proposals.
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